Disclaimer – Sorry, but I don't own Naruto...no matter how much I wish I
did.
"" = dialogue {} = thoughts
** = thoughts between Sasuke and Sakura (telepathy jutsu)
CHAPTER 12 ~ An Old Enemy~
Sakura was walking slowly along the path towards Ino's house when she sensed something.
"Who's there?"
"Hi, Sakura-chan. It's been awhile." a creepy voice.
"Kabuto?...no your charka is too great...it must be...you're Orochimaru, aren't you? What do you want?"
"Very good Sakura, you saw...I mean I guess I should say...sensed through my jutsu. You're as great as my spy told me.
"What are you talking about?"
"Well, ever since I sensed Itachi's presence here I sent someone to check on my precious Sasuke-kun. I was surprised to learn that you were attacked and that he used such a powerful jutsu against you. Therefore, I kept my spy in the village to watch you and I've gotten some very surprising reports. I became so intrigued that I wanted to come see you myself. It's all true! You are blind, yet you are still able to fight, and very well I might add. Also, I found out that you learned some very rare techniques from my good friend Tsunade-chan.
"Just cut to the chase. I know you didn't come here to applaud my efforts. Why are you here? Are you here for Sasuke? If you are, then that's just too bad because I'll..."
"No. I thought you would've understood by now. I'm here for you!"
"Why me?"
"You are very interesting, my little cherry blossom. I'd love to study you. You're perfect for my team of elite specialty ninja. I can improve you."
"I don't care about that! I only need to be strong enough to... Oh, why am I even bothering to tell you this? Go away! I don't want o be on your team and Sasuke will never be yours."
"Why do you insist on disappointing me? But, you know, wasn't giving you a choice in the matter. You will be mine and Sasuke will come to me when he's ready. You can't run away!"
"What?!"
It was too late. Orochimaru was so quick that Sakura couldn't sense his movement. Orochimaru hit her hard from behind and she screamed.
"What was that scream?...Sakura?! Wait...I sense an evil presence...it's Orochimaru. What is he doing here? Did he go after Sakura? No! Sakura!!!" Sasuke dashed off down the street towards the dark aura.
{Please be okay...please...it can't happen again...never again!}
Sakura was now lying face down in the dirt. She was hurt badly and was having trouble breathing. She didn't know what she could do. She couldn't sense where he was. She was stronger, but obviously not strong enough.
{Am I going to die here? Or will he take me away? That's worse! I'd rather die! I still have to try something...otherwise Sasuke will blame himself again. I won't leave him!...Not after what I've been through to keep my promise!}
"Are you going to stop now Sakura-chan? I don't want to bruise such a beautiful body. Please, just come along peacefully."
"Never!" Sakura yelled as she stumbled to her feet. "I'll never give up!" She then slipped her hand inside her pocket and took out a familiar green piece of cloth and tied it on. Then, she stood there and cleared her mind of all distractions, concentrating her charka and repeating the words on the blindfold's seal.
"What are you doing now? Nothing can help you. You're not strong enough to fight me yet."
"That's what you think!" Sakura quickly took her fighting stance again. "Let's go!" Sakura ran towards Orochimaru with a kunai in hand.
Just then Sasuke reached the edge of the path and was amazed at what he saw.
{Sakura?! Orochimaru?! I need to help her or she'll be killed!}
*Sasuke I know you're there. Stay back! This is my fight!*
*But...*
*No! Stay there!*
*Hey, wait! How can I hear you inside my head?*
*It's one of the jutsu Tsunade taught me...cool, huh?*
*Sure is. Hey, after you're done killing this psychopath, do you mind teaching that technique to me?*
*Sure. Wish me luck!*
*Go get him Sakura! I'll be here if you need me!*
Sasuke watched as Sakura exchanged blows.
{Hey, wait. I knew she was stronger...but this is ridiculous. What's with that blindfold?...a seal?!...heh, must have been a present form Tsunade. Come on, Sakura! Kick his ass!}
They looked about equal, but then Orochimaru cackled loudly.
"You're even better than I expected, Sakura-chan! Now I really want you!...but now I'm bored, so let's end this! I don't want to have to deal with Sasuke-kun right now as well." Sasuke and Sakura gasped. "That's right. I know you're there Sasuke-kun. Did you think you could hide from me? Anyways, don't worry. I'm not here for you today. I'm here for your pretty little girlfriend.
"What?!" Sasuke was confused. He thought Sakura was only fighting to prove she could protect him. He didn't think that he was here for her.
{This changes everything! I'm sorry Sakura, but I'm going to have to intervene. He's too close to you! He might try something dirty.}
Then, suddenly, Sakura couldn't sense Orochimaru again.
"Where did he go?!"
"I'm right here, Sakura-chan."
"What?! Sasuke-kun, help!"
Orochimaru had frozen her in place. She couldn't move at all. She began to shiver. I t was exactly like the time with Itachi. Something terrible was going to happen and there's nothing she could do about it.
"You know Sakura-chan, if you really want to stay here you can...but then I'll have to give you a going away present. I have to be just as polite as Itachi-kun." Orochimaru leaned in and went to bite Sakura on the neck, but was kicked out of the way by an angry raven-haired teen.
"Sasuke-kun! Why do you always have to be so mean?! I only want ed to make her as strong as you."
"No! all you do is make people suffer! I won't let you do to her what you've done to me!"
"Fine. Let's make a deal then. If you come with me now, I won't ever go after her again. Deal?"
"What?! No way!"
"That's my only offer."
Sasuke stared back at Sakura who had a petrified look on her face.
"No...Sasuke...you can't...not for me...I won't let you!"
"Sakura, this is the only way. I will find you again! I will never forget you!...and I'll always love you!" Sasuke hugged Sakura one last time as she struggled trying to break Orochimaru's jutsu.
"NO!!! Don't go! You promised me!!! Don't break....your promise."
Sakura began to cry and in a split second the jutsu was released and Sasuke was gone. She looked up from the ground and saw an empty pathway.
"S-A-S-U-K-E!!!" She collapsed once again and cried until she couldn't anymore. "Why? Why do I have to be so damn weak?! DAMMIT!!!" Then, Sakura fainted.
"Sakura?! What happened to you?" Ino ran up to the unconscious ninja. "Wake up, Sakura! Tell me what happened."
"...Sasuke...gone...Orochimaru..."
"What? Who's gone? Wait, you're hurt! We have to get you to the hospital!"
Ino picked up the broken girl and ran as fast as she could to the emergency room.
did.
"" = dialogue {} = thoughts
** = thoughts between Sasuke and Sakura (telepathy jutsu)
CHAPTER 12 ~ An Old Enemy~
Sakura was walking slowly along the path towards Ino's house when she sensed something.
"Who's there?"
"Hi, Sakura-chan. It's been awhile." a creepy voice.
"Kabuto?...no your charka is too great...it must be...you're Orochimaru, aren't you? What do you want?"
"Very good Sakura, you saw...I mean I guess I should say...sensed through my jutsu. You're as great as my spy told me.
"What are you talking about?"
"Well, ever since I sensed Itachi's presence here I sent someone to check on my precious Sasuke-kun. I was surprised to learn that you were attacked and that he used such a powerful jutsu against you. Therefore, I kept my spy in the village to watch you and I've gotten some very surprising reports. I became so intrigued that I wanted to come see you myself. It's all true! You are blind, yet you are still able to fight, and very well I might add. Also, I found out that you learned some very rare techniques from my good friend Tsunade-chan.
"Just cut to the chase. I know you didn't come here to applaud my efforts. Why are you here? Are you here for Sasuke? If you are, then that's just too bad because I'll..."
"No. I thought you would've understood by now. I'm here for you!"
"Why me?"
"You are very interesting, my little cherry blossom. I'd love to study you. You're perfect for my team of elite specialty ninja. I can improve you."
"I don't care about that! I only need to be strong enough to... Oh, why am I even bothering to tell you this? Go away! I don't want o be on your team and Sasuke will never be yours."
"Why do you insist on disappointing me? But, you know, wasn't giving you a choice in the matter. You will be mine and Sasuke will come to me when he's ready. You can't run away!"
"What?!"
It was too late. Orochimaru was so quick that Sakura couldn't sense his movement. Orochimaru hit her hard from behind and she screamed.
"What was that scream?...Sakura?! Wait...I sense an evil presence...it's Orochimaru. What is he doing here? Did he go after Sakura? No! Sakura!!!" Sasuke dashed off down the street towards the dark aura.
{Please be okay...please...it can't happen again...never again!}
Sakura was now lying face down in the dirt. She was hurt badly and was having trouble breathing. She didn't know what she could do. She couldn't sense where he was. She was stronger, but obviously not strong enough.
{Am I going to die here? Or will he take me away? That's worse! I'd rather die! I still have to try something...otherwise Sasuke will blame himself again. I won't leave him!...Not after what I've been through to keep my promise!}
"Are you going to stop now Sakura-chan? I don't want to bruise such a beautiful body. Please, just come along peacefully."
"Never!" Sakura yelled as she stumbled to her feet. "I'll never give up!" She then slipped her hand inside her pocket and took out a familiar green piece of cloth and tied it on. Then, she stood there and cleared her mind of all distractions, concentrating her charka and repeating the words on the blindfold's seal.
"What are you doing now? Nothing can help you. You're not strong enough to fight me yet."
"That's what you think!" Sakura quickly took her fighting stance again. "Let's go!" Sakura ran towards Orochimaru with a kunai in hand.
Just then Sasuke reached the edge of the path and was amazed at what he saw.
{Sakura?! Orochimaru?! I need to help her or she'll be killed!}
*Sasuke I know you're there. Stay back! This is my fight!*
*But...*
*No! Stay there!*
*Hey, wait! How can I hear you inside my head?*
*It's one of the jutsu Tsunade taught me...cool, huh?*
*Sure is. Hey, after you're done killing this psychopath, do you mind teaching that technique to me?*
*Sure. Wish me luck!*
*Go get him Sakura! I'll be here if you need me!*
Sasuke watched as Sakura exchanged blows.
{Hey, wait. I knew she was stronger...but this is ridiculous. What's with that blindfold?...a seal?!...heh, must have been a present form Tsunade. Come on, Sakura! Kick his ass!}
They looked about equal, but then Orochimaru cackled loudly.
"You're even better than I expected, Sakura-chan! Now I really want you!...but now I'm bored, so let's end this! I don't want to have to deal with Sasuke-kun right now as well." Sasuke and Sakura gasped. "That's right. I know you're there Sasuke-kun. Did you think you could hide from me? Anyways, don't worry. I'm not here for you today. I'm here for your pretty little girlfriend.
"What?!" Sasuke was confused. He thought Sakura was only fighting to prove she could protect him. He didn't think that he was here for her.
{This changes everything! I'm sorry Sakura, but I'm going to have to intervene. He's too close to you! He might try something dirty.}
Then, suddenly, Sakura couldn't sense Orochimaru again.
"Where did he go?!"
"I'm right here, Sakura-chan."
"What?! Sasuke-kun, help!"
Orochimaru had frozen her in place. She couldn't move at all. She began to shiver. I t was exactly like the time with Itachi. Something terrible was going to happen and there's nothing she could do about it.
"You know Sakura-chan, if you really want to stay here you can...but then I'll have to give you a going away present. I have to be just as polite as Itachi-kun." Orochimaru leaned in and went to bite Sakura on the neck, but was kicked out of the way by an angry raven-haired teen.
"Sasuke-kun! Why do you always have to be so mean?! I only want ed to make her as strong as you."
"No! all you do is make people suffer! I won't let you do to her what you've done to me!"
"Fine. Let's make a deal then. If you come with me now, I won't ever go after her again. Deal?"
"What?! No way!"
"That's my only offer."
Sasuke stared back at Sakura who had a petrified look on her face.
"No...Sasuke...you can't...not for me...I won't let you!"
"Sakura, this is the only way. I will find you again! I will never forget you!...and I'll always love you!" Sasuke hugged Sakura one last time as she struggled trying to break Orochimaru's jutsu.
"NO!!! Don't go! You promised me!!! Don't break....your promise."
Sakura began to cry and in a split second the jutsu was released and Sasuke was gone. She looked up from the ground and saw an empty pathway.
"S-A-S-U-K-E!!!" She collapsed once again and cried until she couldn't anymore. "Why? Why do I have to be so damn weak?! DAMMIT!!!" Then, Sakura fainted.
"Sakura?! What happened to you?" Ino ran up to the unconscious ninja. "Wake up, Sakura! Tell me what happened."
"...Sasuke...gone...Orochimaru..."
"What? Who's gone? Wait, you're hurt! We have to get you to the hospital!"
Ino picked up the broken girl and ran as fast as she could to the emergency room.